WITH MORE UPDATES. MAKE SURE YOU TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS FOR THOSE UPDATES. WELL, THE MONROE COUNTY COMMUNITY DEALING WITH ANOTHER NATURAL DISASTER AS HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING HAVE TAKEN OUT ROADS. JULIAN PARAS SHOWS US HOW OFFICIALS ARE RESPONDING AND WHY RESIDENTS ARE FRUSTRATED. FROM THE SKY, YOU CAN SEE CONTRACTORS WORKING TO PUT THIS ROAD BACK TOGETHER. ON TUESDAY, SEVERE FLOODING, STRIKING ROADWAYS IN A BIG WAY. WE WEREN’T EXPECTING THIS MUCH RAIN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE MONROE COUNTY SHERIFF SAYS ONE COUPLE WAS RESCUED DURING THE FLOODING, AND SINCE TUESDAY, CREWS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO REPAIR WHAT THEY CAN. WE ARE CURRENTLY STANDING ON NEW MEXICO HIGHWAY 434. THIS IS ONE OF THE ROADS AFFECTED BY ALL OF THE FLOODING FROM THIS WEEK IN MORA COUNTY. YOU CAN SEE THE DAMAGE IT’S DONE AND THE WATER STILL RUNNING FROM THOSE FLOODS. THIS THIS HAD BEEN CLEARED OUT PROBABLY FIVE TIMES OUT OF THE LAST 29 FLOODS. IT’S BEEN THIS BAD BEFORE KENNY ZAMORA AND HIS FAMILY ARE RANCHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED FLOODING DOZENS OF TIMES. IT’S GOTTEN TO A POINT WHERE KENNY AND OTHER NEIGHBORS IN THE AREA HAVE DONE THEIR OWN CLEANUP EFFORTS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE GOTTEN USED TO DOING IT EVERY TIME IT FLOODS. THIS IS ABOUT THE 29TH TIME THAT IT HAS FLOODED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND WE HAD ALREADY DONE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK. A LOT OF REMEDIATION. ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS, 90% OF ROADS ACROSS MORA HAVE BEEN DAMAGED IN SOME WAY. SHERIFF PADILLA SAYS THEIR PRIORITY RIGHT NOW IS TO ASSESS DAMAGES, REBUILD DAMAGED ROADS AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS THE RESOURCES THEY NEED. IT’S BETTER TO BE PREPARED AND NOT PREPARED IN MORA. I’M JULIAN PARAS KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS. THE GOVERNOR APPROVED $5 MILLION FOR THE COUNTY, BUT COMMISSIONERS BELIEVE THEY MAY
Mora County residents show frustration after severe flooding
Mora County residents are dealing with extensive road damage from recent flooding, with local officials and community members working to repair and recover.
Flooding in Mora County, New Mexico, has severely damaged local infrastructure, like New Mexico State Highway 434, prompting swift repair efforts from local officials and the New Mexico Department of Transportation.Mora County Sheriff Americk Padilla said, “We’ve kind of been in preparation a little bit…to see what was going to be in store for us.” He emphasized the importance of having resources ready to address the damage.With the road destroyed, some people had to drive around through Santa Fe, adding two hours of travel just to get to the other side of Mora County.Despite the swift action from repair crews, residents are still feeling the impact of the flooding. A group of residents near NM-434 has done their own cleanup work over the past three months, gathering mountains of dirt and rock from previous floods. Still, the community is struggling to cope with the aftermath. Roger Romero, a resident, expressed skepticism about relying on federal resources like FEMA, saying, “However long it takes, as long as we can, we need to make an effort because that’s all we’ve got is us.”Romero’s sentiment is shared by others in the community, who feel hindered by federal processes. “Is it a good intention? Absolutely. It’s a good intention. But any time you deal with the government, it’s just way too much red tape,” Kenny Zamora said.Officials report that 90% of the county’s roads have been damaged, and residents are doing their best to recover from yet another natural disaster. Sheriff Padilla assured the community, “We have a swift water rescue team on standby. We’re going to have sandbags available at the complex. We’re going to have high water rescue units available.”
Flooding in Mora County, New Mexico, has severely damaged local infrastructure, like New Mexico State Highway 434, prompting swift repair efforts from local officials and the New Mexico Department of Transportation.
Mora County Sheriff Americk Padilla said, “We’ve kind of been in preparation a little bit…to see what was going to be in store for us.” He emphasized the importance of having resources ready to address the damage.
With the road destroyed, some people had to drive around through Santa Fe, adding two hours of travel just to get to the other side of Mora County.
Despite the swift action from repair crews, residents are still feeling the impact of the flooding. A group of residents near NM-434 has done their own cleanup work over the past three months, gathering mountains of dirt and rock from previous floods.
Still, the community is struggling to cope with the aftermath. Roger Romero, a resident, expressed skepticism about relying on federal resources like FEMA, saying, “However long it takes, as long as we can, we need to make an effort because that’s all we’ve got is us.”
Romero’s sentiment is shared by others in the community, who feel hindered by federal processes. “Is it a good intention? Absolutely. It’s a good intention. But any time you deal with the government, it’s just way too much red tape,” Kenny Zamora said.
Officials report that 90% of the county’s roads have been damaged, and residents are doing their best to recover from yet another natural disaster. Sheriff Padilla assured the community, “We have a swift water rescue team on standby. We’re going to have sandbags available at the complex. We’re going to have high water rescue units available.”
